Kevin Le Gendre brings his considerable knowledge and experience to The Philosophy of Jazz, interpreting the mindset, outlook and ambition of the jazz musician and a form of music that has captured the imagination of international audiences for over a century.

This is not a straight history of this genre of music but an exploration of what it means to be a jazz musician and the alchemy between players and audience during a live-music session. While drawing on historical references, in terms of cultural touchstones in Black music and the Black experience, this fascinating book very much immerses itself in the current jazz scene and the interesting directions being explored. Along the way the greats of jazz are all covered Joplin, Morton, Billie, Miles and Monk along with their influence and legacy.